# Fierce Feline Footwear Explode on the Court with the Nike LeBron 9 'Fire Lion' Kicks By Matt Ho | Published 2011-09-22 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-lebron-9-fire-lion References: [freshnessmag](http://www.freshnessmag.com/2011/09/20/nike-lebron-9-fire-lion-china-edition-detailed-look/) & [nike](http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/nike/language_select/) As a thank you to Chinese fans for their support, Lebron James and [Nike](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/year-of-the-dragon-colorway) is releasing the Nike LeBron 9 'Fire Lion' sneakers to show their gratitude. The new Nike LeBron 9 'Fire Lion' shoes are a revamped version of James’ popular basketball shoe. The majority of the upper has an ice-blue color, with contrasting splashes of gold and orange strewn about. The tongue of the shoe features an image of the [stone lion](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snakeskin-colorway-2), which the Chinese believe to be a protective mythic creature, and is also a metaphor for James’ explosive personality on the court. The back heel features a tag with the word “fire” in Chinese characters as a nod to the name of the shoe. For comfort, Nike has incorporated the Max Air 180 encapsulated air cushion, and the Nike [Zoom Air](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/digi-camo-1) for better performance. This is available through Nike Retailers in China only starting on October 1st. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.2/10 - Popularity: 93% | Activity: 84% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Cultural-specific Sneaker Designs:** Opportunity for companies to cater to specific cultures with designs inspired by their beliefs and myths. - **Gratitude Marketing:** Opportunity to show appreciation to loyal customers through exclusive products or limited editions. - **Performance Innovation:** Opportunity for companies to continually improve shoe performance for better athlete performance. ### Where This Applies - **Athletic Footwear:** Companies can explore new designs and performance enhancements for athletic footwear. - **Sporting Goods Retailers:** Opportunity for sporting goods retailers to collaborate with athletic footwear companies and offer exclusive products to their customers. - **Celeb-inspired Fashion:** Opportunity for companies to design and sell fashion products inspired by popular celebrities and their cultural recognition. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [New Year-Inspired Basketball Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/year-of-the-dragon-colorway.md) - [Candy-Themed Tonal Basketball Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lebron-xxii.md) - [Pink Tonal Basketball Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/i-promise-colorway.md) - [Celebratory Dragon-Inspired Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/year-of-the-dragon1.md) - [Lunar Festivity-Inspired Embroidered Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-force-1-low-6.md) - [Snake-Honoring Whimsical Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/air-jordan-11-low.md) - [Athlete-Backed Sports Training Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tr1.md) - [Villain-Centric Collaboration Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tekken-8.md) - [Textural Stealthy Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-cat-colorway.md)